Shango Yoruba statue from Nigeria
Shango is the orisha that embodies masculinity, dance, virility, but also the use of violence. He has special drums that summon lightning, and his main symbol is a double-headed battle axe.
Who is Chango?
Chango is an important orisha in the Yoruba tradition. He is also venerated in parts of the African diaspora in the Americas through syncretized traditions such as Santería and Candomblé.
What is the mythology of Shango?
Shango is one of the orishas of the Yoruba pantheon. He was once king of Oyo and was deified after his death.
The Yoruba God Shango
The Yoruba god Shango is an Orisha associated primarily with dance, virility, lightning, and thunder. He is also known as Chango or Xango. In addition to variations in spelling, there are also sometimes variations in stories about Shango throughout centuries of oral tradition. Orishas are a type of deity in the Yoruba tradition of West Africa (primarily in the region of present-day Nigeria). Scholars posit that the religion was formed at least 500-300 BCE, but archaeological evidence indicates that the belief system and traditions are much older. In the Yoruba tradition, there is an all-powerful deity, Olodumare, who is vast and beyond human comprehension. The Orishas are different aspects of this all-powerful deity, and each Orisha embodies and acts upon specific characteristics of the divine.
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Shango: Symbols and Associations
Depictions of Shango tend to show the Orisha with distinctive symbols. The most iconic of his symbols is the oshe , a double-headed battle axe. The oshe is used by worshipers and priests during ceremonies honoring Shango. These ceremonies often included dancing, which is a major attribute of Shango. When not in use during ceremonies, the oshe rests on an altar dedicated to Shango. Several types of decorations may be used on the oshe. These include animals such as dogs, which were beloved by Shango, and rams, his favorite sacrificial animal. While the battle axe was a symbol of military prowess and the use of violence, Shango is generally associated with the use of force in the name of justice.